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Personal video recording with storage space distributed among remote personal video recordersRelated Patent Categories: Television Signal Processing For Dynamic Recording Or Reproducing, Processing Of Television Signal For Dynamic Recording Or Reproducing, Including Programmable ApparatusPersonal video recording with storage space distributed among remote personal video recorders description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080013919, Personal video recording with storage space distributed among remote personal video recorders. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation application of and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/302,399, filed on Nov. 21, 2002. [0002] The present application is related to the following co-pending U.S. patent applications, which are hereby incorporated by reference: [0003] 1. patent application Ser. No. 10/180,143 (Attorney Docket Number AUS9-2002-0109), titled "Personal Video Recording With Storage Space Loans" [0004] 2. patent application Ser. No. 10/180,362 (Attorney Docket Number AUS9-2002-0110), titled "Personal Video Recording with Recovery of Displayed Storage Space" [0005] 3. patent application Ser. No. 10/180,114 (Attorney Docket Number AUS9-2002-0111), titled "Personal Video Recording With Further Compression Of Recorded Shows" [0006] 4. patent application Ser. No. 10/180,145 (Attorney Docket Number AUS9-2002-0325), titled "Personal Video Recording with Pools and Groups" [0007] 5. patent application Ser. No. 10/180,164 (Attorney Docket Number AUS9-2002-0347), titled "Personal Video Recording With Storage Space Requirement Checking" [0008] 6. patent application Ser. No. 10/180,591 (Attorney Docket Number AUS9-2002-0357), titled "Personal Video Recording With Apportioned Loans of Storage Space" [0009] 7. patent application Ser. No. 10/180,617 (Attorney Docket Number AUS9-2002-0303), titled "Personal Video Recording With Messaging" [0010] 8. patent application Ser. No. 10/180,361 (Attorney Docket Number AUS9-2002-0358), titled "Personal Video Recording With Machine Learning for Messaging" [0011] The present application is related to the following co-pending U.S. patent applications having the same inventors, the same assignee, and the same filing date, also hereby incorporated by reference: [0012] 9. patent application Ser. No. 10/302,499 (Attorney Docket Number AUS9-2002-0384), titled "Personal Video Recording With Storage Space Providers" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0013] 1. Field of the Invention [0014] The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods, systems, and products for automated personal video recording. [0015] 2. Description of Related Art [0016] In the current art of the personal video recorder ("PVR"), the storage space available upon which to record television shows or other video content ("shows") is a limited resource. PVRs are relatively expensive and therefore are typically shared by more than one user. The Tivo.TM. system is an example of such a PVR, and today the Tivo.TM. system is marketed by the number of hours of video content it can record, typically 20, 30, or 50 hours. In a setting with more than one user, the recording time available on typical PVRs is not configured or controlled by user allocation, which causes problems. One user may use a disproportional share of the storage space available for recording video content, leaving little or none for other users of the recorder. It would be advantageous if there were ways to configure or control storage space to facilitate use by multiple users, allowing for multiple users to share the storage resources collision-free, with little risk of erasing or overwriting someone else's recorded shows. [0017] In addition, it is useful to note that estimates of storage space required for recording a particular show are made in dependence upon an estimated compression level. It would be advantageous, therefore, to have means and methods of administering the risk that an estimate of compression level and therefore an estimate of storage space requirement will be too small. Moreover, although such provisions are substantially lacking in the prior art, it would be advantageous also to provide various ways for users to aggregate their abilities to lend, borrow, and record shows. In addition, although such provisions are substantially lacking in the prior art, it would be advantageous also to provide various ways for users to lend storage space to other users and to groups of users. It would also be useful, particularly when free space for lending is scarce, for users to be able to recover used space so that it could be used in recording additional shows. [0018] Users will operate the PVR controls to control a PVR and to track the operations of a PVR. PVR operations can be so complex, however, that it would be advantageous for users to have improved ways of tracking and controlling PVR operations. It would particularly useful if there were ways for PVRs to utilize means of sending and receiving messages to and from users regarding PVR operations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0019] Exemplary embodiments of the invention typically include methods for automated personal video recording. Such embodiments include scheduling a show for a user having allocated storage space on a personal video recorder ("PVR") optionally including free space, in which the show has a storage space requirement that exceeds the user's free space, and the PVR is coupled for data communications to a storage space provider, and transmitting to the storage space provider an order to record the show through the storage space provider in storage space on a remote PVR that is coupled for data communications to the storage space provider. In such embodiments, the order includes an identification of the show and a schedule for recording the show. [0020] Exemplary embodiments of the invention typically include comparing the show's storage space requirement and the user's free space, in which transmitting to the storage space provider an order to record the show through the storage space provider in storage space on a remote PVR includes transmitting the order if the show's storage space requirement exceeds the user's free space. Embodiments typically include downloading the show from the remote PVR to the PVR and displaying the show from the PVR. Such embodiments include displaying the show on the PVR as video streamed from the storage space provider. [0021] Exemplary embodiments of the invention typically include methods of personal video recording including receiving in a storage space provider from a personal video recorder ("PVR") an order to record a show on a remote PVR, the order including an identification of a show and a schedule for recording the show. Such embodiments include selecting a remote PVR, and recording the show, in dependence upon the show identification and the schedule for recording the show, in storage space on the selected remote PVR. In such embodiments, selecting a remote PVR includes selecting a remote PVR upon which the storage space provider is a user having allocated storage space with free space exceeding the show's storage space requirement. In typically embodiments, recording the show includes recording the show in storage space allocated to the storage space provider on the remote PVR. [0022] In exemplary embodiments, selecting a remote PVR includes selecting, from among a multiplicity of remote PVRs, a remote PVR upon which the storage space provider is a user authorized to borrow an authorized remote lending amount of storage space exceeding the show's storage space requirement. Such embodiments include borrowing storage space on the selected remote PVR. In some embodiments, recording the show includes recording the show in the storage space borrowed on the selected remote PVR. In such embodiments, selecting a remote PVR includes determining, in dependence upon an authorized remote loan amount for a remote PVR, whether the storage space provider is authorized to borrow storage space from a remote PVR, and an authorized remote loan amount for a remote PVR includes a total of maximum loan amounts authorized by lenders on the remote PVR for lending to the storage space provider. Typical embodiments include the storage space provider's downloading the show from the selected remote PVR to the storage space provider and displaying the show from the storage space provider through the PVR as streaming video. [0023] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers generally represent like parts of exemplary embodiments of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0024] FIGS. 1a and 1b are pictorial representations of aspects of information handling systems in which exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. [0025] FIG. 2a is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a PVR according to the present invention. [0026] FIG. 2b is a pie chart illustrating an example of storage space allocation. [0027] FIG. 3 depicts data structures as related records useful in exemplary embodiments of the present invention. [0028] FIG. 4 is a flow chart depicting a method of personal video recording. [0029] FIG. 5 is a flow chart depicting an example method of selecting lenders. Continue reading about Personal video recording with storage space distributed among remote personal video recorders... Full patent description for Personal video recording with storage space distributed among remote personal video recorders Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Personal video recording with storage space distributed among remote personal video recorders patent application. Patent Applications in related categories: 20090285547 - Sgnal processing apparatus - The present application discloses a signal processing apparatus. Particularly, it discloses a signal processing apparatus comprising a first decoder for generating video data by decoding data and a second decoder for generating video data by decoding data, wherein, regarding predetermined operations for generating the video data by decoding the data, ... ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Personal video recording with storage space distributed among remote personal video recorders or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Converting time-shift buffering for personal video recording into permanent recordings Next Patent Application: Recording medium for storing real time recording/reproduction information, method and apparatus for recording and reproducing in real time, and file operating method using the same Industry Class: Television signal processing for dynamic recording or reproducing ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Personal video recording with storage space distributed among remote personal video recorders patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.64666 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , 174 |
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